Machine for the drawing of superfine wire



Aug. 26. 1969 J. v. @GRADY 3,462,993

MACHINE FOR THE DRAWING OF SUPERFINE WIRE Filed July 29, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1

g- 1969 J. v. OGRADY 3,462,993

MACHINE FOR THE DRAWING OF SUPERF'INE WIRE Filed July 29, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR JOSEPH v. O'GRADY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,462,993MACHINE FOR THE DRAWING 0F SUPERFINE WIRE Joseph V. OGrady, Locust,N.J., assignor to Syncro Machine Company, Perth Amboy, N.J., acorporation of Delaware Filed July 29, 1966, Ser. No. 568,867 Int. Cl.BZlc 1/08 US. Cl. 72-289 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wiredrawing machine of the step-cone type having two capstan shafts and acapstan roller shaft, the capstans of each capstan shaft comprising aseries of capstans of increasing diameters fixed to the shaft, theincrease in diameter of a successive capstan relative to a precedingcapstan being proportioned in the usual manner to care for wireelongation resulting in drawing the wire to a smaller cross-sectionalarea equal to a standard gauge-size (e.g., B & S gauge) reduction andthe capstans of the second capstan shaft being of increasing diameterssuch that the capstans of the second shaft operate at peripheral speedsrelative to corresponding capstans of the first shaft which care forelongations corresponding to fractional gauge-size reductions whereby byselectively placing dies between successive capstans of the first shaft,the wire first also passing over a roller of the capstan roller shaft,full gauge-size reductions are made, and by selectively placingfractional gauge dies between corresponding capstans of the first andsecond capstan shafts and complemental fractional gauge-size diesbetween the second and first capstan shafts, fractional reductions equalto a full gauge-size reduction occur. The three shafts are preferablyarranged in a triangular formation and the complemental fractions ofgauge-size reduction are preferably one-half.

The present invention relates to wire-drawing machines and particularlyto wire-drawing machines of the type in which a plurality of capstans ofdifferent diameters are mounted on each of the capstan shafts, such amachine being commonly known as a step-cone wire-drawing machine.

Conventional machines of the step-cone type include two or more capstanshafts in horizontal or vertical array, the speed of the shafts and thesizes of the step cones being selected to coincide with the increasedlength of the wire as the wire is progressively reduced incrosssectional area.

As will be obvious, once the desired reductions have been determined,the capstan diameters must be commensurate with the wire elongationproduced during each stage of reduction, since the shaft speed is thesame for all capstans of the set.

Ordinarily, the capstans of the drawing shaft would be so related toeach other in diameter as to produce the same amount of reduction ineach stage, and most frequently this amount is that for a full B & Sgauge size (the cross-sectional area of one gauge size is 20.5% lessthan that of the preceding size).

It is often desirable to use a single machine for drawing wire both tofinished sizes larges than B & S gauge 45 and to sizes smaller than thisgauge. However, in drawing to smaller than B & S gauge 45, it ispreferable that the reductions below this gauge be taken in halfgaugesize steps, since otherwise undue breakages are apt to occur.

As it seen firom the above discussion, a machine of the step-cone typeis not adapted to these two types of Patented Aug. 26, 1969 use, sincethe capstans of a shaft cannot have diameter ratios to satisfy both theone-step reduction per stage throughout and diameter ratios to satisfysome stages of one-step reduction and other stages of one-half stepreduction.

By the present invention a shaft is added preferably having the samenumber of stepped capstans as the remaining capstan shafts, the shaftbeing arranged so that the wire is drawn through dies effecting an areareduction equal to one gauge number until gauge 44 is reached andthereafter the wire is drawn through dies for half-size reductions fromsize 44 down to whatever size is desired. This is accomplished bydriving the added step capstan shaft at a speed which is correlated withthe half B & S size reductions.

It is an object of the invention to provide a wiredrawing machine of thestep-cone type which will efficiently produce very fine wire.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a wire-drawingmachine wherein full B & S size reductions occur through each of thedies in the early stages of the drawing operation and less-than-fullsize reductions occur in the later stages.

It is another object of the invention to provide a wiredrawing machineas indicated wherein by the addition of a single shaft having stepcapstans corresponding to the stepped capstans of the final stage of themachine but operating at a different speed, the wire may be drawnthrough half-gauge, or other reduced area reductions on some of thecapstans of the stage without necessitating that all reductions in thedies associated with the capstans of the stage be of the like degree.

It is a still further object of the invention to accomplish the resultindicated above by simple means consisting essentially of adding acapstan shaft having a set of capstans of the same respective diametersas the capstans of the final drawing shaft, the added shaft being drivenat a speed correlated to the half-gauge reductions.

It is another object of the invention to provide a step cone or capstandrawing machine capable of providing a final product of either full orone-half B & S gauge sizes.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent when thefollowing description is considered in connection with the appendeddrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a drawing machine inaccordance with my invention showing in a somewhat schematic manner thearrangement of two sets of stepped capstans together with the necessarydies and die holders and;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the capstans appearing at the center inFIGURE 1 showing partcularly the wire path for drawing wire to aspecific size. In FIGURE 2 the dies and die holders have been omitted inorder that the path of the wire be clear.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE 1 there areshown at the left of that figure, two capstan shafts 10 and 11 havingstepped capstans 12 and 13 mounted thereon. Each stepped capstancomprises siX individual capstans having diameters indicated as a, b, c,d, e and f.

In the usual manner the capstans having the same letter are of the samediameter and likewise in the usual manner the shaft 13 rotates at aspeed increased over that of capstan shaft 10 to the same extent thatthe wire is elongated in drawing it so that its reduction in area is thereduction between two B & S wire sizes.

Mounted in the path of wire to capstan 10a is a die 14- and mounted inthe path of wire extending between capstan 12 and capstan 13 is aplurality of dies designated 3 15a to 15]. The dies 15a through 15 aremounted in die holders 16 and 17 in two groups.

The capstan a is a drawing capstan and draws the wire through die 14 toproduce the first reduction. The remaining capstans of capstan 12 areessentially not capstans at all but merely pulleys. All of the capstans13a through are drawing capstans, each serving to draw the wire througha corresponding die and to cause a full B & S size reduction as thisoccurs.

As will be obvious to those skilled in the art the path of the wire isthrough die 14, thence around capstan 10a, through die 15a, one andone-half turns around capstan 13a, back to capstan 1011, a half turnabout that capstan, then back to die 15b, to capstan 13b, thence one andone-half turns around that capstan back to capstan 10b, and so on untilthe wire passes through die 15], is wrapped approximately one andon-half turns about capstan 13 and thence passes to a single die 18mounted in the die holder 20.

During the passage about the capstans 12 and 13 as indicated a wire willin the particular arrangement being described be reduced six full B & Ssizes. The arrangement thus far described is conventional and has beendescribed primarily to contrast this arrangement with the arrangement ofthe succeeding stage which incorporates my invention.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, a second pair of capstan shafts 21 and 22is provided. Each of these capstan shafts has a respective capstan 23and 24 mounted thereon, the capstans 23 and 24 being composed of sixindividual capstans a to f, the a capstans having the same diameters, asdo the remaining similarly lettered capstans.

Capstan shaft 22 is driven at a speed greater than the speed of capstanshaft 21 by an amount such that the peripheral speed of the individualcapstan relative to the speed of the corresponding capstan of thecapstan 23 is equal to the elongation of the wire through one B & S sizereduction.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an additionalcapstan shaft 25 which is arranged in a triangular formation as respectsshafts 21 and 22. Mounted on the shaft 25 is a capstan 26 which is alsocomprised of six individual capstans a through 7" corresponding indiameter with the correspondingly lettered individual capstan of thecapstans 23 and 24.

Mounted in position to cooperate with the upper reaches of the wirepassing from capstan 23 to capstan 24 are dies 27 and 28 mounted in dieholders 30 and 31 respectively. The dies in holders 30 and 31 aredesigned to produce one full B & S size reduction.

Mounted to cooperate with the reaches of wire extending from capstan 23to capstan 25 are die holders 32 and 33 in which dies 34 and 35 aremounted. These dies are such as to produce one-half of a B & S sizereduction. In a similar manner dies 36 and 37 are mounted in die holders38 and 40 respectively in the path of reaches of wire extending betweencapstan 26 and capstan 24, these dies likewise being such as to produceone-half of a full B & S size reduction. Mounted within the housing 41are two die holders 42 and 43.

Mounted in the die holder 42 is a die 44 which, although of an exact B &S size number, is one-half B & S size smaller than the preceding die aswill appear later Mounted in the die holder 43 are two dies 45 and 46.One of these dies is a one-half size die, that is, is of a B & S numberending with /2 and the other is of an even B & S number and is utilizedwhen the machine is drawing full wire sizes only, that is, when capstan24 is being utilized and capstan 26 is not.

Mounted outside the housing 41 are two capstan shafts 47 and 48. Mountedon shaft 47 is a single capstan 50 having a diameter the same as thediameter of the capstan 26f, capstan shaft 47 being driven at a speedabove that of capstan shaft 25 such that a one-half size elongation iscared for.

Mounted on capstan shaft 48 are two capstan 51 and 52. Capstan 51 has adiameter such that it will be satisfied by one-half gauge reduction,while capstan 52 has the same diameter as capstan 24f.

Capstan shaft 48 is driven at a speed corresponding to an elongation ofone full gauge as respects the speed of capstan shaft 22 when finishcapstan 52 is utilized; and at the same time is equivalent to one-halfgauge reduction when finish capstan 51 is utilized. Thus when notutilizing capstan 26 the wire passes directly from the capstan 24 to thecapstan 52 whereas when utilizing capstan 26 the wire passes from thelargest used capstan 24 to the capstan 51. (It should be noted that inFIGURE 2 the capstans 50 and 51, 52 are shown out of vertical alignmentwhereas in FIGURE 1 they are shown in vertical alignment. The reason forthis is to better illustrate the operation with respect to FIG- URE 2.)

From what has been said hereinabove it will be realized that byutilizing the arrangement of the present invention it is entirelypossible to draw to finish sizes which are either a full B & S gaugenumber or one-half B & S gauge number. In order that this may be madeclear a description of each operation will be given. In each instance itis assumed that the wire entering die 18 is number 39 B & S wire. In thefirst instance the drawing of this wire to size 46 will be consideredand in the second instance the drawing of the same wire to size 46% willbe considered.

The size 39 wire is reduced in die 18 to size 40 and then passes aboutcapstan 23a for one and one-half turns approximately and thence passesthrough a size 41 die and Wraps about the capstan 24a.

Thence the wire passes over capstan 23b and through a die designated 27of size 42 thencewraps about the capstan 24b and passes over capstan23c. The wire next goes through a die of size 43 of the set designated27 and wraps around capstan 24c. Thereafter the wire passes over capstan23d through a die of gauge 44 of the set of dies designated 27 andthence wraps about capstan 24d and passes over capstan 23e. The wirethen goes through a die 35 which is a B & S size 44 /2 die and wrapsabout capstan 26c from whence the wire passes through a die 36 of size45 B & S and wraps about the capstan 246.

From capstan 24e the wire passes over capstan 23f thence through asecond die of the die set 35 which die is of size 45 /2 B & S and thencewraps about capstan 26 and passes through die 44 which is of B & S size46 and thence to the finishing capstan 50. It will be seen that by theuse of nine dies the wire has been reduced from size 39 to size 46 whileat the same time no reductions of greater than half size have takenplace from size 44 to 46.

The result of this arrangement is that the finer sizes can be drawnefiiciently without danger of breaking while at the same time materiallyreducing the number of dies over the number which would be required ifthe speeds of the shafts 23 and 24 relative to each other were adjustedso as to make a half size reduction at each pass of the wire betweenthese capstans. Additionally, as was mentioned and as will be broughtout in the following description it is entirely possible to draw wiresto half B & S sizes on the same machine without modifying any of theshaft speeds.

If it is desired to draw number 39 wire down to size 46 /2 the sameprocedure will be followed as has just been described except that thewire instead of passing from capstan 26 to die 44 will pass from thatcapstan to a die 37 which is B & S size 46 and will thence wrap aroundcapstan 24f and pass through die 45 which is of B & S size 46 /2 andthen to capstan 51, the diameter and speed of which are, as has beenstated, such that it will be satisfied by onehalf gauge reduction. Itwill be noted that the wire has been reduced from 39 B & S gauge to 46%B & S gauge by use of only ten dies.

The examples given above are of course merely typical and manyadditional size reduction combinations are possible. In each instance inaccordance with conventional practice the string-up of the machine isdetermined by figuring backward from the finishing end and determiningthe die sizes and their locations in accordance with the patterndesired, giving heed to the fact that half-size reductions are notdesirable when the wire is to be finished to a gauge size greater than44 B & S.

It will be seen that when wire reductions are to be performed ending ina gauge size 44 or greater the stringup will be such as to eliminate theuse of the added capstan 26. If it be assumed that it is desirable todraw size 42 wire reducing it from size 35 entering the die 18 the pathof the wire would be as follows: through die 18 around capstan 23athrough a die of the set 27 of B & S gauge size 36 thence around capstan24a, about capstan 23b to die 27 of B & S size 37, thence wrapping aboutcapstan 24b passing about capstan 230, through a die of set 27 of B & Ssize 38, thence wrapping about capstan 24c passing about capstan 23d,through die 27. of B & S size 39 to capstan 24d, wrapping about thatcapstan and passing over capstan 23a, thence through die 27 of B & Ssize 40*, wrapping about capstan 24e, passing over capstan 23f andthence through a die 27 of B & S size 41. Then the wire extends aboutcapstan 241 and passes through die 46 which is of size 42 and thence iswrapped about the final finishing capstan 52. It is to be noted that inthis example only seven dies are required to reduce the wire throughseven full gauge sizes.

In the past when it was desired to produce reductions in wire throughuse of one-half gauge size reductions and where the step-capstan orstep-cone arrangement was utilized the number of dies utilized even whendrawing the larger B & S sizes was materially increased because of thefact that the shafts were driven at speeds corresponding to one-halfgauge reductions or some fractional gauge size reductions and could notbe available both for one-half and for full reductions.

Utilizing the arrangement of the present invention however, fullreductions may be taken through some of the dies and half reductionsthrough others merely by utilization of the added capstan shaftoperating at a speed midway between the speed of the two shafts of apair of shafts.

Frequently, moreover, with the older system two pairs of capstan shaftswere utilized, the reductions on one being a proportion of the totalgauge size reduction and the reductions on the other being somedifferent proportion of the gauge size reduction. This arrangement alsowas not efficient since particularly when taking full size reductionsand drawing heavier wire, it was necessary to take a larger number ofsmaller reductions which required a greater number of dies and a muchless eflicient operation.

In describing the typical examples hereinabove the reductions throughdies associated with the capstan 13 were not considered simply becausethose reductions in this example are always full B & S size reductions.However, normally the device of my invention would be preceded by a pairof capstans such as 12 and 13 and thus the total reduction through themachine would be increased by seven B & S gauge sizes. As has beenindicated and has been conventional practice the setup of the machine isdetermined by working back from the finishing end and all the drawingcapstans are not necessarily utilized. If the number of reductions isless than necessitates the use of all the capstans the wire is enteredonto any one of the capstans of the first set which is desirable andproper.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention it will beunderstood that many variations may be made. For example, only one setof three drawing capstans arranged in a generally triangular formationis preferable in the practice of my invention. Also, the capstans ofeach stage have been described as comprising a number of capstanscorresponding in diameter, the speed of the respective shafts beingproportional to the wire elongation; it is entirely possible to provideshafts driven at the same speed the individual corresponding capstanshaving diameters proportional to the wire elongation. Again, althoughthe examples described in detail provide for only 4 half-sizereductions, as many at 12 such reductions may occur.

I wish therefore not to be limited by the foregoing description but onthe contrary to be limited solely by the claims granted to me.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wire drawing machine of the type having a first capstan shaftand a second capstan shaft, the first capstan shaft having a pluralityof capstans mounted thereon for rotation therewith, each capstan havinga diameter greater than the preceding capstan to provide a peripheralspeed greater than that of the preceding capstan equal to the elongationproduced by drawing wire through a die producing an area reduction ofone standard gauge size for the material drawn and said second capstanhaving a series of capstan rollers thereon corresponding to the capstansof the first shaft about which a Wire passes during its progress to adie and to a succeeding capstan of the first shaft, the improvementcomprising, in combination, a third capstan shaft having a series ofcapstans corresponding to the capstans of said first shaft mountedthereon for rotation therewith, each said capstan being of a diameterrelative to a corresponding capstan of said first shaft and relative tosaid third shaft speed to provide a peripheral speed for said thirdshaft capstans greater than the speeds of the corresponding first shaftcapstans by an amount equal to the elongation produced by drawing thewire through a die producing an area reduction of a fraction of thestandard gauge-size reduction for the material, means selectivelymounting drawing dies producing a full gauge-size reduction in the pathof wire from a capstan on said first shaft over a roller capstan of saidsecond shaft to a succeeding capstan on said first shaft, meansselectively mounting dies producing a fraction of a full gauge-sizereduction in the path of wire from a first shaft capstan over acorresponding roller to a corresponding third shaft capstan and meansselectively mounting dies producing a complement of said fraction of afull gauge-size reduction in the path of wire from a third shaft capstanto next successive first shaft capstan whereby wire may be drawn througha desired number of dies producing a full gauge-size area reductionfollowed by drawing through a series of dies each producing a fractionof a full-size reduction.

2. A wire drawing machine as claimed in cliarn 1 wherein said first,second and third shafts are parallel to each other and are arranged in agenerally triangular formation.

3. In a wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, correspondingcapstans and capstan rollers of all three shafts having the samediameter, said first shaft rotational speed being greater than therotational speed of said second shaft by an amount proportional to wireelongation for full gauge-size reductions, said third shaft rotationalspeed being greater than said first shaft rotational speed by an amountproportional to wire elongation for half gauge-size wire reduction.

4. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fourth shaftis provided having a capstan thereon positioned to draw wire through adie mounted in the path of wire from the largest capstan of said thirdshaft, said fourth shaft capstan being driven at a peripheral speedgreater than that of the third shaft, said increase in speed beingproportional to wire elongation equivalent to one-half gauge-sizereduction.

5. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein an additionalshaft is provided adjacent to said first shaft, said additional sha-fthaving a pair of capstans thereon, said capstan diameters beingproportioned to produce linear velocities corresponding to wireelongations equivalent to one-half gauge-size reduction and onegauge-size reduction, respectively, and a pair of dies selectivelypositionable between the largest diameter capstan of said first shaftand one of said capstans of said additional shaft, whereby wire may bedrawn through a selected die to produce a one-half gauge-size reductionor a full gauge-size reduction selectively.

6. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fourth shaftis provided having a capstan thereon positioned to draw wire through adie mounted in the path of wire from the largest capstan of said thirdshaft, said fourth shaft capstan being driven at a peripheral speedgreater than that of said third shaft, Said speed differencecorresponding to a Wire elongation equivalent to a one-half gauge-sizereduction, and wherein a fifth shaft is provided adjacent to said firstshaft, said fifth shaft having a pair of capstans thereon, said capstandiameters being proportioned to produce linear velocities correspondingto wire elongations resulting from reductions of one-half gauge-size andone gauge-size, respectively, a pair of dies selectively positionablebetween the largest diameter capstan of said first shaft and one of saidcapstans on said fifth shaft whereby wire may be drawn through aplurality of dies to produce an odd number of half gauge-sizereductions, an even number of half gauge-size reductions, or a pluralityof full gaugesize reductions followed by an odd or even number of halfgauge-size reductions.

7. A wire drawing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein respectivecapstans of said third shaft are of the same diameter as those of saidfirst shaft and wherein said third shaft is driven at an angular speedgreater than that of said first shaft by an amount producing peripheralspeed differences equal to the elongation produced by one-half standardgauge-size reduction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 684,946 10/1901 ODonnell 72--289757,671 4/1904 McMahon 72-289 1,720,676 7/1929 Hosford 72289 RONALD D.GREFE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 72-279, 281

